History | |
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Nazi Germany | |
Name: | U-256 |
Ordered: | 23 December 1939 |
Builder: | Bremer Vulkan, Bremen-Vegesack |
Yard number: | 21 |
Laid down: | 15 February 1941 |
Launched: | 28 October 1941 |
Commissioned: | 18 December 1941 |
Struck: | November 1942 |
Status: | Converted to a Flak boat, May 1943 |
Recommissioned: | 16 August 1943 |
Struck: | 23 October 1944 |
Fate: | Captured in Bergen, Norway, and broken up |
General characteristics | |
Class and type: | Type VIIC submarine |
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Height: | 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in) |
Draught: | 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in) |
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Complement: | 4 officers, 40–56 enlisted |
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Service record | |
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Victories: | One warship sunk (1,300 tons) |
German submarine U-256 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II, she also served for a short time as an anti-aircraft submarine under the designation U-flak 2. During her career, U-256 completed five wartime patrols and sank one warship of 1,300 tons.
The submarine was laid down on 15 February 1941 at the Bremer Vulkan yard at Bremen-Vegesack as yard number 21. She was launched on 28 October and commissioned on 18 December under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Odo Loewe.
U-256 was assigned to the 8th U-Boat Flotilla for training, then transferred to the 9th U-boat Flotilla for operational service.
German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-256 had a displacement of 769 tonnes (757 long tons) when at the surface and 871 tonnes (857 long tons) while submerged. She had a total length of 67.10 m (220 ft 2 in), a pressure hull length of 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in), a beam of 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in), a height of 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in), and a draught of 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in). The submarine was powered by two Germaniawerft F46 four-stroke, six-cylinder supercharged diesel engines producing a total of 2,800 to 3,200 metric horsepower (2,060 to 2,350 kW; 2,760 to 3,160 shp) for use while surfaced, two AEG GU 460/8–27 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 750 metric horsepower (550 kW; 740 shp) for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 1.23 m (4 ft) propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to 230 metres (750 ft).